While nanomaterials have led to major advances in key U.S. industries, especially the semiconductor industry, their technological promises and possibilities are tempered by concerns about the possible health and environmental risks associated with their manufacture, use, and disposal.

The health and safety of those involved with the development, manufacture, and use of nanotechnology products is of critical importance. The 2011 National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Research Strategy is grounded in the principles of health and safety risk assessment throughout the product life cycle. Working closely within the NNI activity, NIST developed its unique multi-laboratory Nano EHS initiative, which has been funded since 2009 and led by the Materials Measurement Laboratory (MML). Angela Hight Walker, a physicist in the Semiconductor & Dimensional Metrology Division leads the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) team that works closely with the NIST lead, Debra Kaiser (MML), and several other principle investigators throughout the campus. ivision’s newly formed Nanoelectronics Group, Hight Walker’s primary focus is to use materials physics to provide the detailed quantitative physical-properties measurements to ensure that risk asessments related to nanomaterials are science based.

“The NIST perspective is that we want to make sure that innovation is spurred with nanotechnology and not hampered by unsubstantiated concerns, ” Hight Walker explains. “We want to make sure that companies will continue to and even accelerate bringing innovative products that leverage the wonders of nano to market by providing the measurement science to understand and mitigate any potential health and safety risks. Our goal is to provide science-based risk assessment.”

Tweaking solar cells w/quantum dots

by Citizen_J

Potential 45% increase in efficiency
Researchers from the University at Buffalo, Army Research Laboratory and Air Force Office of Scientific Research have developed a new, nanomaterials-based technology that has the potential to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells up to 45 percent. Specifically, the researchers have shown that embedding charged quantum dots into solar cells can improve electrical output by enabling the cells to harvest infrared light, and by increasing the lifetime of photoelectrons

Engineers develop new materials for hydrogen storage — R & D Magazine“We are looking for solid materials that can store and release hydrogen easily,” said Olivia Graeve, a professor at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, who has gained international recognition as a nanomaterials manufacturing expert.